February is Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of cardiovascular health and an opportunity to focus on what we can do to improve our heart health. Heart disease is the second leading cause of death for both men and women in Canada. ().Ěý
Interest rates will continue to dictate the outcome of Canada’s housing market in 2024 with the first and second halves showing different pictures. RBC’s latest housing report projects slow activity and softer prices in the early part of the year as the Bank of Canada maintains its policy rate at a two-decade high and home ownership stays out of reach for many potential buyers. But a pivot toward rate cuts mid-year will get the wheels turning faster over the second half or perhaps even sooner.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has noted more than 4,600 invasive group A streptococcus samples from 2023 – the highest Canada has seen. Group A streptococcus, a bacteria that can cause illnesses like strep throat, can develop into acute infections that can lead to pneumonia, a flesh-eating disease, or toxic shock syndrome. Some Canadians across the country that contracted the bacteria have developed infections requiring hospital treatment.
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Canada. More than 650,000 people have dementia in this country, and that number is expected to spike by 187% over the next 30 years, according to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. For people living with dementia, participating in activities they enjoy is key to maintaining their sense of self and quality of life.  Â
A new year often brings new federal regulations and rules. In 2024, there will be a slew of new laws that come into effect with significant implications, including changes to Canada’s bail system, new timelines for the dental insurance program, a new tax on foreign tech companies, and changes to the federal carbon tax.Â
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Facing increased scrutiny over its social networks’ effects on teenage users, Meta announced Tuesday that teens on Facebook and Instagram will see less content related to self-harm and eating disorders. Meta already filters such content out of the feeds it recommends to users, such as Instagram’s Reels and Explore. But under a set of changes rolling out over the next few months, harmful posts and stories won’t be shown to teens “even if [they’re] shared by someone they follow,” the company said in a statement.
B.C. residents will soon become the first in Canada to have access to an at-home, self-screening test for cervical cancer. About 200 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer a year in the province, according to Premier David Eby. He said doctors in B.C. have been looking for ways to improve the diagnosis of human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer. ()Ěý
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U.S. President Joe Biden will lay out what he sees as the stakes of the 2024 presidential election — democracy and freedom — in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 6, his first campaign event of the new year. “This Saturday will mark the three-year anniversary of when, with encouragement from Donald Trump, a violent mob breached our nation's Capital. It was the first time in our nation's history that a president tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power," said Biden-Harris campaign manager Julie-Chavez Rodriguez.
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Amidst the onset of respiratory illnesses this flu season, Canada has fortified its defences against the persistent threat of COVID-19 with the approval of another vaccine. Health Canada on December 5 approved the updated Novavax vaccine, marking the third updated booster available to Canadians alongside those from Pfizer and Moderna. ()Ěý
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Protecting people from their personal information being used against them is more important every day as our lives become increasingly interconnected through data-driven products and services. In his new book, Ignacio Cofone challenges us to reevaluate conventional wisdom about data, showing how many of the rules that govern the information economy are outdated in today’s social and economic reality. Â
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El Niño will be a major contributing factor to how the season ahead plays out. El Niño has a reputation for bringing mild winters to much of Canada and it appears that this winter will feature one of the strongest El Niño events on record. So, can we expect a mild winter across the country this year? The answer is not so simple. ()Ěý
The Canadian government has reached a deal with Google over the Online News Act that will see the tech giant pay $100 million annually to publishers, and continue to allow access to Canadian news content on its platform. Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge announced the "historic development" regarding the implementation of Bill C-18 on Wednesday, after the tech giant had threatened to block news on its platform when the contentious new rules come into effect next month.
Since its proclamation in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly in resolution 47/3, the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) has been celebrated annually on 3 December around the world. The observance of the IDPD aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and to mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. ()
Every year, on December 1, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with and affected by HIV and to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS. ()
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, Full Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine